In the gospel reading today, we hear that Christ’s blood is real drink! Christ gave his life for us on the cross. Blood is a sign of life and Christ shed it to the last drop. In the Mass we receive his life giving blood. We too give our lives to trans- form the world around us. Even though this may be a wicked age our lives should redeem it. Sunday School is on holiday now until next term. Children of Primary School age are invited to stay with their parents, and sit near the front (or there are toys and books at the back).

On holiday? If you are visiting London, family or friends welcome to MPB; if you are going away, say ‘hello’ from MPB - mention the Ordinariate.

Anyone missing? If you are not able to be at Mass, keep FrC informed.

Fridays, all Fridays of the year are special. The Church asks us to keep Fridays by not eating meat. Why not set your iPhone to pray at 3pm, to unite yourself with the Lord when he died. All we need do is remember for a few seconds, he’ll do the rest!

The Stone and Font is now in England! Keep an eye on the website for updates of where the Mass will, and if there will be Mass. Here are we trying to build a community of faith, and there are those doing their best to destroy it. It’s all sent to try us!

The Society of St Vincent de Paul is seeking to recruit a Young Vincentians Programme Manager, and a Mini Vinnies Officer as part of the expansion of their youth programme. Both full time roles based at their office in SE1. See poster or www.svp.org.uk

Keeping the Eucharistic Fast! The Church asks us not to eat or drink anything for one hour before recovering Holy Communion. Do you fast? Will you fast? It’s the simplest way of preparing to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament– an hour!

Summer Reading. Have you something to read and develop your Catholic Faith? Do you want something? FrC has lots of ideas.

Accommodation sought as a paying guest by a young Catholic moving to work in London from 8th Oct for 6 months. See FrC

Those who are sick, sometimes recover, so if they do not need to be on the Prayer List please let FrC know.

Dress appropriately for Mass, especially during the summer. Elbows to knees!

Take a photo of the Church where you go to Mass if you are going to be away over the summer and tweet it to the parish twitter ac-count and/or Facebook page.

Holy Water is available by the sacristy so you can keep your Holy Water stoup replen-ished at home if you have one at your front door or by your bed.

Welcome to Mass today!

If you are new to the area or this church, please make yourself known to one of the priests after Mass. There is tea and coffee available after the Solemn Mass in the Rectory, we hope you’ll come through.

The Parish of the MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD a Catholic Parish in the Archdiocese of Southwark

in the Pastoral Care of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham

DOMINICA XX PER ANNUM 19th August 2018

St Bartholomew

We do not have important information about Bartholomew. In fact, his name appears al-ways and only within the lists of the Twelve and traditionally, is identified with Nathanael.

The identification of these two persons is probably due to the fact that Nathanael, in the scene of the vocation narrated by John's Gospel, is placed next to Philip, that is, in the place that Bartholomew has in the lists of the apostles referred to by the other Gospels. It was to this Nathanael that Philip had said that he had "found the one about whom Mo-ses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth".

Nathanael posed a weighty prejudice to him: "Can anything good come from Nazareth?". This is important: it allows us to see that, according to the Jewish expectations, the Messiah could not come from such an ob-scure village, as was the case of Nazareth.

At the same time, however, it shows the freedom of God, who surprises our expecta-tions, manifesting himself precisely there, where we least expect him. Moreover, we know that, in reality, Jesus was not exclu-sively "from Nazareth," but that he was born in Bethlehem. Nathanael's objection, there-fore, had no value, as it was founded, as often happens, on incomplete information. His reply, presents a significant invitation to Nathanael: "Come and see". Our knowledge of Jesus is in need above all of a living expe-rience: Another person's testimony is cer-tainly important, as in general the whole of

our Christian life begins with the proclama-tion that comes to us from one or several witnesses. But we ourselves must be per-sonally involved in an intimate and pro-found relationship with Jesus.

When Jesus sees Nathanael approaching, he says: "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him". This arouses Nathan-ael's curiosity, who: " How do you know me?" Jesus' answer at first is not under-stood. He said to him: "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree". It is diffi-cult to know what he meant. Some say the fig tree is mentioned as the tree under which the doctors of the law sat to read and teach the Bible, and Jesus was identifying his occupation at the moment of his calling.

Anyway, what counts most in John's narra-tion is the confession of faith that Nathan-ael professes at the end in a limpid way: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel!" He is recognised both by his special relationship with God the Father, of whom he is the only-begotten Son, as well as by his relationship with the people of Israel, of whom he is called King, an attribution proper of the Messiah.

We must never lose sight of either of these two elements, since if we only proclaim the heavenly dimension of Jesus we run the risk of making him an ethereal and evanes-cent being, while if we only recognise his concrete role in history, we run the risk of neglecting his divine dimension, which is his proper description.

A tradition, beginning in the Middle Ages, gives the account of his death by flaying. However, suffice it to think of the famous scene of the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel, in which Michelangelo presented St. Bartholomew holding his own skin in his left hand, in which the artist left his self-portrait.

Concluding, we can say that the figure of St Bartholomew, despite the lack of infor-mation, tells us that adherence to Jesus can be lived and witnessed even without doing sensational works. Jesus is the ex-traordinary one, to whom each one of us is called to consecrate his life and death.

Pope Benedict XVI 5 Oct 2006

‘Holiday’ means holy day: the time given so you could keep a day holy. You might be going away, or maybe having a staycation at home, make this Summer a special holy-day and go to Mass each and every Sunday and holyday, wherever. Make sure it is a Roman Catholic Church.

This Week: Mass & intentions

Day Time Intention

Today 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

8.30am 11.00am

Family - MF Parishioners

Mon 20th St Bernard Donald Minchew priest

Tues 21st St Pius X

Wed 22nd OL, Mother & Queen Ann Harrington foundation

Thurs 23rd (St Rose of Lima)

Fri 24th St Bartholomew

Sat 25th (St Louis)

Next Sunday 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

11.00am Parishioners

Next Week’s Readings Joshua 24:1-2.15-18 Ephesians 5:21-32 John 6:60-96

Sacrament of Confession. Sun 10.30 - 10.50; Mon-Fri 12.30 - 12.55

Evensong each Thursday 18.00 (during term-time).

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament each Friday till 15.00 Divine Mercy

Last week: £2,118.70 inc Standing Orders and Card payments

Safeguarding. The parish is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commit-ment. Safeguarding Officers: Kate Pope, Richard Hughes, Justina Onuorah. 0800 0935063

Holy Father’s Intention for August. Universal – The Treasure of Families That any far-reaching decisions of economists and politicians may protect the family as one of the treasures of humanity.

Ordinariate Weekly Intercession: Fr Darryl Jordan and the Bournemouth Group.

For your prayers: Those in formation for Ministry, especially Dn John Waters, Fr Francis & Fr Jonathan The Sick & Housebound: Mary, David, Theresa, Dora, Jo, Mafalda, Mark, Geoffrey, Christine, Fr Bill, Paula, Shirly, Peter, Anita, Holly. Recently Departed: Philip Mathias priest, Leo White priest, Donald Minchew priest

Find us on: Facebook: “preciousbloodSE1” Twitter: @preciousblood1

Fr Christopher Pearson OLW Parish Priest The Rectory, 22 Redcross Way, SE1 1TA borough@rcaos.org.uk www.preciousblood.org.uk

020 7407 3951